Writer conflated Islam, Christianity

The Webster online dictionary defines the word “conflate” as “to ignore distinctions between, by treating two or more distinguishable objects or ideas as one; to confuse.” John Cevette illustrated that definition in his column on Tuesday, April 15.

Cevette starts by citing his ignorance of Islam. He then goes on to say that Christianity is every bit as violent as the Islam he knows little about. What if somebody said he was ignorant about Utah, but then went on to compare Colorado to Utah? The very basis of his argument would be undermined. So is Cevette’s.

New Testament scriptures are the authoritative standard for Christian behavior. There is no New Testament approval of violence against unbelievers. The harshest punishment it mentions is not associating with someone who claims to be a believer but deliberately pursues an immoral lifestyle. Anybody advocating violence in the name of Christianity must invent support for it out of whole cloth, because the New Testament simply doesn’t support it.

Has it happened anyway? The short answer is yes. Historically, under the threat of conquest by pagan barbarians and militant Islam, Christian nations gave religious sanction to a violent warrior ethos outside of New Testament Christianity. For centuries, however, Christianity has moved away from the errant views of medieval Europe. We are in the 21st century now, not the 12th, and we deal with 21st century Christianity. Equating them is conflating them.

Cevette conflates the message that some actions are morally wrong with a message that violence should be done to wrongdoers. He excoriates James Dobson, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, among others, for inciting violence. This is sheer nonsense. Saying adultery is wrong is not even remotely the same as saying that adulterers should be lynched. Saying certain behaviors are immoral is not intolerant. It is warning people about lifestyles that are self-destructive.

Lastly, Cevette conflates the political actions of Christian conservatives with the imminent threat of a theocracy. The United States has a way of deciding how civil society approaches moral issues. It’s called democracy, and to paraphrase Samuel Clemens, “reports of democracy’s death are greatly exaggerated.” Christian conservatives have just as much right to advocate their ideals as Cevette does.

Recommended Stories For You

David J. Chapman is a nursing student at Aims Community College. He has lived in Greeley since 1992.